Sherrod Brown: 'The time has come' for Al Franken to resign

WASHINGTON – Sen. Sherrod Brown joined a growing number of Senate Democrats in calling on Democratic Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota to resign his seat following complaints from at least seven women that in the past he has tried to kiss or grope them against their will.

In a conference call Wednesday, Brown, D–Ohio, said he made his decision Wednesday morning.

Brown said he was “grateful to the victims (of sexual harassment) who have had the bravery to come forward,” adding in the past few weeks he has listened “to my female colleagues” in the Senate.

“I’ve had conversations with them,” Brown said. “I’ve listened to the women in my office. I’ve listened to the women in my life.”

The decision by Brown and his fellow Democratic senators — which began with six women around noon and quickly grew to more than a dozen within an hour and a half — has intensified pressure on Franken to resign his seat. Considered a rising star in the Democratic Party, Franken had been mentioned as possible presidential candidate in 2020.

The eight Senate Democratic women who called on Franken to resign are Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Patty Murray of Washington, Kamala Harris of Washington, Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, and Mazie Hirono of Hawaii.

In addition to Brown, Democratic Sens. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Joe Donnelly of Indiana have urged Franken to resign, with Democratic Sens. Ed Markey of Massachusetts; Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Michael Bennet of Colorado, Maria Cantwell of Washington, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Dianne Feinstein of California, Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Jeff Merkley of Oregon echoing that call as the day progressed.

In the House, Reps. Tim Ryan D-Niles and Joyce Beatty, D-Jefferson Township, have also echoed the senators' call."As elected officials we are held to a higher standard, and while Members of Congress and Senators are entitled to an Ethics Committee hearing, I believe Senator Franken, Congressman Blake Farenthold, and others in Congress should step down," Beatty said. "To make meaningful change, it requires leading by example—that begins with Congress and the entire federal government.”

Franken has scheduled an announcement for Thursday.

The flurry of activity took place as Senate Republican candidate Roy Moore of Alabama has been deluged with charges that he harassed a series of younger women, including one who was 14 at the time. President Donald Trump endorsed Moore Tuesday.

Senate Democrats began the call for Franken to step down after Politico published a story Wednesday that a former Democratic congressional aide tried to “forcibly” kiss her in 2006, which is two years before he was elected to the Senate.

In a statement to Politico, Franken said “this allegation is categorically not true and the idea that I would claim this as my right as an entertainer is preposterous. I look forward to fully cooperating with the ongoing ethics committee investigation.”

After the call, Brown issued a statement saying the Senate Ethics Committee “should continue to investigate. He is entitled to the investigation. And their findings will be important to informing changes that are needed in Congress.”

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, said of Franken, "harassment of any kind has no place in our society and should not be tolerated, and if he engaged in this type of conduct he should resign.”

Portman has also called for Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore to step aside following reports that Moore initiated sexual contact with girls as young as 14.

Longtime Democratic John Conyers of Detroit resigned his seat Tuesday following reports he made secret settlements with at least one who charged with sexual harassment.

Al Franken should resign.

— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) December 6, 2017

I have listened to them. I have listened to my female colleagues, to women I work with and women in my life. And I agree the time has come for Senator Franken to step aside.

— Sherrod Brown (@SenSherrodBrown) December 6, 2017

jtorry@dispatch.com

@jacktorry1

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